This past weekend Tony and I ran away to Brier Island. I have always had a long list of reasons as to why I can’t go anywhere, not least of which is a sense of needing to be open in case someone comes to visit my studio. But Robin, who runs the Chester Bay Chalet, said it best when I called to book Lego into Dog Camp. She said, “you always remember the times you got away.” Sometimes you just have to hang up the closed sign and go enjoy the world, particularly when you live in one of the most beautiful parts of it.

I can count the number of times that Tony and I have gotten away by ourselves, without junior, on two fingers. But both times are remarkable because we are immediately reminded of how much we like each other. Take ‘what’s for dinner’, dishes, bills, child rearing and work out of the picture and we are the best of companions.

Brier Island surpassed any expectations that we had formed in the 24 hours between hearing about it and deciding to go there. If you are looking for entertainment in the classic sense of the word then this is not the place for you, but if you love nature, unpretentious beauty, sea creatures, birds, wild flowers, rocks, peeling paint and old boats then this place is paradise. It is unadulterated Nova Scotia.

I didn’t put a sound track over the video because what is most impressive are the sounds of the seagulls squawking, the seals barking, the rustling wind and the whales.

Sunday morning we went out on a Whale Watching Boat run by Brier Island Whale and Seabird Cruises. These guys are simply the best. There were several naturalists on board to explain what we were seeing and answer questions. We saw many Humpback whales, a Basking Shark, Harbour Porpoises and a Puffin!

The whales were the stars of the show. They were so clearly entertained by us humans. They swam under the boat and generally showed off for us. At one point, two of them turned to face us and just watched. I felt pretty privileged to be a part of their lives for a short period of time.

Unfortunately, we didn’t stay there, but if when we go again we will choose the Brier Island Lodge . From the photos it seemed a bit Roadside Motel, but in actuality, it’s open with lots of picture windows to let in the view. They have a charming lounge, where you could hang out on a rainy day and the restaurant is excellent.

Nova Scotia summer is short, but I’m so glad I filled this one with a memory of Brier Island.

Nova Scotia is a bit of a snowy place right now and what with endless school cancellations and general shack wackiness, you might be looking to hop on a plane and head south. But if that option is not available to you, there is another cure. Come take a day trip to Lunenburg.

I’d be lying if I told you that Lunenburg escaped the last two consecutive blizzards. This here is my own house and I’m happy to report that we did manage to dig our way out.

A few years ago you would have had a hard time finding an open shop in February, but times are a changin’ and now, even on Sundays, there are beautiful shops open where you can find a dose of colour.Mom’s Buy and Sell on Linclon St. is really more than a shop. It’s an emporium. The space is huge and you could easily spend a couple of hours getting lost in beautiful vintage rugs, textiles, clothing, furniture, and everything you didn’t know you needed until you saw it.

….like these vintage rolling pins…

…or this antique clothes wringer….

…or all this fun vintage jewelry….

or some milk paint for that Do it yourself project that you have been contemplating for the last 20 years.

The snow clearing crew is hard at work, so that when and if you find your way out of Mom’s Buy and Sell, you can walk a couple block down to Montague st. and….

Yesterday I got a call from this lovely lady in Granville Ferry, NS, which is about 2 hours from Lunenburg. She said she had an old hat that she just loved and asked if I could reproduce it. I explained that this is something I rarely do, but the answer was maybe. Sometimes I do fall in love with a shape and take the challenge on. I suggested she send me a photo. Oh, I would just love to have an excuse to visit the South Shore, she said. I have the perfect adventure friend. We’ll see you Saturday. Well, O.K., I replied, as long as you are prepared for me to say no.

She walked in to my studio with her travel companion and I felt, as often happens, that this was not a customer, this was a new friend. She showed me the hat and I explained that I could not reproduce it, but she found two other hats which suited her needs. She also brought her show and tell wedding hat made by the inimitable Karyn Gingras from Lilliput hats. (the one in the photo is the one she bought from me.)

She asked for a recommendation of where to have lunch and I directed her to The Salt Shaker Deli and I made sure to also let her know where our two bookstores are located, Lunenburg Bound and Lexicon Books and since she clearly had a penchant for beautiful clothes, I directed her to Luvly in Lunenburg and also told her that while many tourists stick to Montague st., that Lincoln st. is filled with great shops like Jenny Jib.I will need to custom make her second hat. I offered to ship it to her, but she insisted that she would like the excuse to have to return this way. Well, O.K., No arguments from me. And best of all, she brought me some homemade Marmalade. Nova Scotia is a pretty special place.

Today is my birthday. Thank you, thank you. It’s been a verbal year for me, to put it mildly. I’m just a woman filled with opinions, but there is one opinion that has never wavered and that is that I am very lucky to live in Lunenburg. There is not a day that goes by that I am not grateful to be here. So, in honour of my good mood and my advanced age I will share with you the top 10 reasons that I love living in Lunenburg.

Number 1- The Lunenburg Academy- This building is known as the castle on the hill. When we first moved here it was still the elementary school, but is now in transition. On the top floor is LAMP, the Lunenburg Adacdemy of Music Performance. We play basket ball to the left of this photo and get to hear live, world class music wafting from the windows.The Lunenburg Library will soon be moving downstairs. This building is a two minute, bee line walk from my home.

The grounds around the Academy are my life. Every morning begins with a dog walk through the field and then through the paths of the cemetery. My son and I have spent countless hours playing in the playground and throwing the ball for our dog, Lego. He is excellent at catching the ball, but does not bring it back. I have become a well trained retriever.

2-The Back Harbour Trail – When the trail is passable, and it usually is, Lego and I walk down the cemetery hill and hit the path. I try to mix up my walks sometimes, but find that I always fall back on the peace and quiet of the old railroad bed. I am always amazed at how we are often alone, or may bump into only a couple of other walkers. Such a far cry from nature trails in a city, where you are forced to learn the rules of the road or get run over. Lego’s habit of walking in a zig zag pattern bothers no one at all. The entire trail is 5 km, but it hooks up with a longer trail system and you can bike all the way to Halifax and beyond. One day, one day…..

3-Sidewalks – After five years of living in the country, in the beautiful Hudson Valley, NY, where walking on the edge of a winding rural road meant taking your life in your hands, I vowed to find a home with sidewalks. As a young girl, I lived in Montreal and loved the autonomy of my life on the street with my gang of children. I loved getting my weekly ten cent allowance and walking to the variety store and blowing it all on candy. It was very important to me that my son would be able to walk to a friend’s house or the playground or the corner store to spend (my money) on candy. Mission accomplished.

4- The Dog – Lunenburg is a dog’s dream. There is no such thing as tying your dog up outside of a shop. Bring ‘im on in! Can I give him a treat? Town hall, several shops, the bank and the post office all have hidden stashes of treats and Lego makes sharp turns in front of his favourite establishments.

5- The Post Office – This is Lego’s favourite destination, hands down. Between Troy and Karen, who spoil him rotten and “Two Treat Fridays” I have to watch that I don’t get yanked off my feet when opening the door to drop off a package. The post office was where I first learned about “how we do things in Nova Scotia” and I mean that in the best way possible. When I first moved here, seven years ago, I went to deliver a hat and discovered that the small box would cost $30 to ship. I was somewhat panicked. The man behind the counter, put up the closed sign and while seven people behind me patiently waited, he opened my box, cut it down by an inch, resealed it, taking $20 off the shipping cost. Since that initial experience I have had postal workers carry boxes out to my car for me and even calls at home when it was known that I was anxiously awaiting a shipment of labels.

6- The Lunenburg Farmers Market – You can find me here, selling my wares for much of the year, but when I am not selling, I am shopping. I have seen our market grow and grow. We now have a year round market and I can tell you that it’s one of the best ones in the province. We’ve got it all, produce, meat, bread, flowers, crafts and of course, hats. Every Thursday morning from 8-12 (8:30-12 in the winter) the town shows up to stock up on a week’s worth of local goodness. There is much gossip, Laughing Whale coffee sipping and music listening. Anybody that is able, plans their week around this weekly event.

7- Swimming Pools – Yes, that is meant to be plural. We have two swimming pools in our 4 square kilometer town. During the summer, the outdoor pool is open and Dustin rides his bike to take lessons, during the winter we head to Emocean for family swim on either Saturdays or Sundays from 2-4. Haven’t been there in a while, but we’ll get back to it. For a while, before Lego arrived on the scene, I would swim every morning. I can’t remember ever having to compete with someone for the use of a lane. You can get a monthly or annual membership to Emocean and swim any time of the day or night. Now that I’m writing about it, I think it might be time to take up the habit again.

8-Neighbours and Friends – This is Margaret’s house, across the street. It was designed by her son Alec Brown, an architect in Halifax. It gets quite a bit of attention and people drive by regularly to snap a photo. Yes, the house is beautiful. Inside is the epitome of peace and openness, but what I love best is the woman that lives within. She is the neighbourhood grandma. All the children ring her doorbell for cookies and if Lego could reach the doorbell he would ring it, too, because Margaret always has a biscuit for him. I am surrounded by great neighbours. Can I borrow an egg or maybe a dozen eggs, a cup of sugar or an onion? These requests circulate freely around our little block.

9- Beauty – One cannot escape beauty in Lunenburg. It’s at the front harbour, the back harbour and across the harbour on First Peninsula. It’s in the next town over and a few kilometres away in Blue Rocks. It’s across the Lahave River at all our amazing beaches and it’s along the road to Riverport and Rose Bay. It’s easy to forget that not everyone lives like this.

10- Last, but not least is my little studio in my home where I get to make pretty hats all day for a living. I happen to be married to a handsome, talented wood worker who built me the most beautiful little shop.I love showing off this amazing room in my house, so if you are in Lunenburg, please stop by for a visit. You can head to my website to see more photos of the inside.

There is so much that I left out – great restaurants and shops, festivals and performances, places to skate, play tennis and golf.

I promised a couple of blog posts ago that I would not get political here and I won’t. Really. I just want to say that the other voice that is heard from me comes from my true adoration of this place and my desire for as many people as possible to be able to come and share this dream. This kind of beauty needs to be shared.